Health & Protection in Mauritius

Mauritius is one of the most favoured expat destinations in East Africa which is known for its multi-cultural population and highly-ranked economy. If you are on your way to starting a new life in this country, you should see to it that everything you need and going to need is well prepared. Aside from your housing, mode of transportation, education of your children and other necessities, you should also secure your healthcare insurance in Mauritius. Most expats do not consider this as an immediate need, but as you step and bring your family to a foreign land, it is your responsibility to ensure that in an emergency situation, you won’t be walking in the dark. Here are some of the most important details that you need to know about the healthcare and protection in Mauritius.

Getting Insurance

Whether you are invited to work in Mauritius by a foreign company or for a local company such as a tech start up or some of the recently growing service companies it is important to discuss your relocation package early on.

Your benefits package should include a health insurance as part of your contract. It is one of the most important things that you have to discuss with your employer’s Human Resources department to make sure that your medical coverage while working abroad is adequate. Start by talking about it to your HR department.

The Ministry of Financial Services, Good Governance and Institutional Reforms is the sector of the local government that oversees the operation of all insurance companies in the country. If you have any concerns regarding your employer's broker, you can send them an email at financialservices@govmu.org or call the number 404-2400.

Mauritius has many international and local insurance providers that you can choose from. It is critical to conduct research on the different companies and their types of coverage to see which one can meet your specific needs. Cigna Global is one of the international companies that offer affordable plans and round the clock assistance to their clients in Mauritius. You can also check some of the local brokers like the Good Harvest Limited, which is considered as the oldest provider of general insurance such as life, health, home, education and motor vehicle.

Importance of Insurance

Dengue is one of the primary causes of illness and hospitalisation in Mauritius, which can be acquired from a mosquito bite. In 2009, the number of infected people in the country raised to an alarming number that caused the Ministry of Health to declare an outbreak. Diabetes and Hypertension are also on the list of the most common health problems that the Ministry is currently putting great attention to.

Most of these do not require immediate hospitalisation and confinement, but it doesn’t mean that you can just ignore the possibilities of needing medical attention. Health Insurance is not just limited to emergency situations, the beauty of having one is that it also covers regular check-ups, physical exams, laboratory tests, vaccinations and even maintenance as well as daily vitamins is all covered by your policy.

Local Insurance in Mauritius

Mauritius is considered to be one the countries in Africa that put significant focus on the healthcare of its citizens. The government provides free medical assistance to all Mauritian including permanent residents. You will find state-run hospitals and clinics in different parts of the country that also provides financial aid and maternity care to qualified individuals. All foreign workers who pay a contribution to the Social Security may also receive the same benefits that the Mauritians get, but it is still important to consider the possibility of taking out insurance from a local private company since some services might not be covered by the public healthcare sector.

Expats in Mauritius can also opt for an international insurance which has a wider coverage that exceeds borders and territories. In the event that you or your dependent will require medical assistance that is unavailable in Mauritius, you can rest assure that your insurance company can assist your transfer to a different hospital.